Following in the steps of Weezer, Rooney, and all the bands that inspired them, Free Energy are the new carriers of the Power Pop torch. Simple, singable choruses and crunchy 80’s chords provide for a purely enjoyable, though somewhat forgettable, listen.
“This is all we got tonight, we are young and still alive” is an apt lyric from first track “Free Energy”, since it encompasses the spirit of this band. A snotty, party-happy, care-free vibe carries throughout the album, from the hand clap driven “Dream City”, with its sweet, lilting chorus, to the ending ballad “Wild Winds”, which appropriately closes the album as the singer tells his “heart to be still” as his life is changing. It’s one of the most introspective tracks on an album that thrives on feel-good ear candy.
First single “Bang Pop” has the thumping drums and slick guitar melody that Def Leppard would have used in their hey day, with Weezer-ific lyrics. Given a radio push, this could be a “song of the summer”, blasting out of car stereos and at MTV Spring Breaks. It’s sad that MTV is no longer music television, because this is the kind of band that could bring rock back to the airwaves. Free Energy embrace their youth, evident in tracks like “Young Hearts” and “Light Love”. They make music for fun, not emotional soul searching. It won’t help you through a hard time, but it will make you have a good time.
The Indy Review 